Chapter 104: The World Trembles

The Unthinkable Has Happened.

The world had changed overnight.

Kumogakure, the relentless storm, the nation of warriors whose very name struck fear into the hearts of shinobi, had been shattered.

Not in a drawn-out war.

Not after weeks of siege.

But in a single night.

And the worst part?

Konoha had suffered almost no losses.

This was not just a defeat.

This was a warning.

And the other nations heard it loud and clear.

Iwagakure: The Old Man's Calculations

The moment the news reached Iwagakure, the war council assembled.

The Tsuchikage, Onoki, sat at the head of the table, unmoving, his gaze unreadable.

Across from him, his commanders shifted in unease.

Kitsuchi, his son, leaned forward. "Kumogakure's invasion force was crushed. The Raikage was captured." His voice was low, careful. "Konoha's forces remain intact."

The room fell into stunned silence.

A veteran shinobi scoffed. "Impossible! The Raikage is a monster! His Lightning Armor alone—"

"He was too slow."

The words cut through the air like a blade.

They had come from Onoki.

The room stilled.

Too slow.

For years, the Raikage had been considered the fastest shinobi alive. A force of nature. A warrior no one could match.

Yet now—he was a prisoner.

Which meant—

Minato Namikaze was faster.

The realization was suffocating.

Kitsuchi cleared his throat. "And it wasn't just the Yellow Flash. The reports say a Senju reshaped the battlefield. An Uzumaki ripped through their ranks like a demon. An Uchiha ended squads before they knew they were dying. A Hyūga sealed away their strongest techniques."

Another commander spoke. "Children. They were defeated by children."

The weight of those words crushed the room.

And then—

Onoki laughed.

His old, weathered voice echoed through the chamber.

The council stiffened.

Kitsuchi's brow furrowed. "Tsuchikage-sama?"

Onoki exhaled, stepping toward the great map of the shinobi world. His fingers traced the borders of Fire Country.

"This," he murmured, "is perfect."

Kitsuchi stiffened. "You're pleased?"

Onoki's lips curled into a smirk.

"Let the fools in Kumo bear the weight of Konoha's wrath. Let them suffer." His fingers drummed against the table. "We will not move. Not yet. We will watch. And when Konoha spreads itself too thin…"

His smirk sharpened.

"We will strike."

Sunagakure: The Realization of the Kazekage

The Kazekage, Rasa, sat alone in his dimly lit chamber, his fingers tapping against the wooden desk.

He had read the report three times.

He still couldn't believe it.

The Raikage was gone.

His army was gone.

His strength, his pride, his very identity as the unstoppable force of Kumogakure—gone.

And Konoha?

They were still standing.

Baki entered the room, his face grim. "Kazekage-sama… what is our move?"

Rasa exhaled slowly.

For years, Sunagakure had maintained a delicate balance. Too weak to challenge Konoha directly, but strong enough that no one dared to invade.

Now…

That balance was crumbling.

"We do nothing," Rasa finally said.

Baki frowned. "Sir?"

Rasa's golden eyes flickered. "This isn't a war we can afford to start." His voice was low, firm. "Not until we know exactly what Konoha is planning."

Because if one village was destined to rule this era…

It would not be Konoha.

Not if he could help it.

Kirigakure: The Mizukage's Amusement

The dimly lit throne room of Kirigakure was filled with the soft echoes of dripping water. The mist outside the palace coiled like a living thing, shifting restlessly.

Mei Terumi smiled.

She twirled the scroll in her fingers, lips curling at the message it carried.

"Kumogakure's arrogance was its downfall," she mused, taking a slow sip of sake.

The advisors around her shifted uneasily.

One of them, an older jonin, cleared his throat. "Mizukage-sama… if Konoha's power has grown this much, should we not—"

"Should we not what?" Mei's tone was silk laced with knives.

The room fell silent.

Finally, she leaned forward, her emerald eyes gleaming with intrigue.

"We do nothing… yet."

She chuckled softly.

"But if Konoha's young can do this…" Her smirk widened.

"I might just want to see them in action myself."

The game had changed.

And she intended to play it well.

Kumogakure: The Hollow Throne

The Raikage's office was eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

Darui stood by the window, watching the storm clouds gather in the distance. His fingers twitched at his sides, but he remained still.

C sat at the war table, staring blankly at the map before him. His hands were clenched into fists.

And in the center of the room, the throne sat empty.

Because A was gone.

The Raikage—their leader, their storm—was a prisoner of Konoha.

A shinobi stumbled into the room, panting, his face pale. "We… we just received another message from Konoha."

Darui turned. "What does it say?"

The shinobi swallowed hard.

"They want us to come retrieve our fallen."

The room froze.

C exhaled sharply. "They're mocking us."

Darui closed his eyes. His hands trembled, but he forced them still.

"We're not in a position to retaliate."

Silence.

Pure, bitter defeat.

Kumogakure had been stripped of its pride.

And there was nothing they could do.

Konoha: The Endgame Revealed

Far above the village, standing atop the Hokage Monument, Orochimaru gazed toward the horizon.

Behind him, Hiruzen approached.

"The world is afraid," the Third Hokage murmured.

Orochimaru smirked. "As they should be."

Hiruzen's gaze was firm. "They will prepare to strike."

Orochimaru turned slightly, golden eyes glinting.

"They will try," he murmured. "And they will fail."

His gaze drifted toward the prison where the Raikage was being held.

"Kumogakure was the first," he said softly. "But they will not be the last."

The wind carried his words across the stone.

"Next, we take their village."

Hiruzen said nothing.

Because he knew—

There was no stopping it now.

Konoha's conquest had begun.

End of Chapter 104.